New VP for FRHI MEA, India

Bastien Blanc, VP, Sales & Marketing for the Middle East, Africa and India, FRHI Hotels & Resorts

“Given this exciting chapter in FRHI’s history, Bastien joins us at an opportune time as we continue to grow within the luxury market and double our regional footprint in the next five years,” said Sami Nasser, FRHI's senior VP, Operations, Middle East, Africa and India. He further added: “Bastien will also be positioned to help drive our company’s strategic vision forward, reinforce our brand presence, and to lead our sales and marketing teams to performance success.”

Blanc will be responsible for the overall sales and marketing operations for 19 hotels and will oversee the development and implementation of strategies, plans, and budgets for new and transitional Fairmont, Raffles and Swissôtel properties in the region, including three hotels that will debut later this year in the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Vast experience

Prior to this appointment, Blanc was the vice president of Sales, Marketing and Development, Russia and CIS for Interstate Hotels. It was within this role that he oversaw 19 hotels covering international brands such as Marriott, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) and Hilton Hotels & Resorts, in addition to expanding Intersate’s portfolio across the region.

Blanc has close to 25 years of operational, sales, marketing and food and beverage (F&B) experience working with multiple hospitality brands, including 15 years with AccorHotels in key markets and destinations such as London, Toronto, Krakow, Warsaw, Moscow, Cairo and the Indian Ocean.

In 2014, he was awarded by the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) as one of the "Top 20 Extraordinary Minds in Sales, Marketing & Technology Across Europe". Blanc holds an MBA in International Hospitality Management from Institut de Management Hôtelier International (IMHI), a joint program of ESSEC and Cornell University.